Cleaning device for rotary kilns.



.(. F. DOWNS.

CLEANING DEVICE FOR ROTARY KILNS. APPLICATION FILED ocT. 5. IsIs.

Lmwm .A PaIenIed Mar. 27, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. F. DOWNS.

CLEANING DEVICE FOR ROTARY KILNS.

APPLIcAnoN FILED ocr. 5. 191e.

Lw l E' @Patented Mar.27,1917.

Q Uf@ s@ G. F. DOWNS.`

CLEANING DEVICE FOR ROTARY KILNS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, I9I6- 4 SHEETS-SHEET vs.

G, F. DOWNS. CLEANING DEVICE FDR ROTARY MLNS.'

APPLlcAloN FIL-sn ocT. 5. new.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

y 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

orricu. N

GEORGE FRANCIS DOWNS, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.'

CLEANING DEVICE FOR ROTARY KILNS.

` Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led October 5, 1916. Serial No. 123,940.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

.Be it known that GEORGE F. Downs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaning Devices for Rotary Kilns; and l do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact' description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forma part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to an improved device for cleaningsrotary kilns or furnaces and .consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the treatment of readily fusible materials in a rotaryv kiln, particles or small masses of the fused,gum like substance collectl upon and adhere to the brick lining of the kiln as the material travels toward the discharge end of the kiln.

`These particles or masses build up upon themselves and, as the .material-under treatment is subjected to aconti'nuously increasing temperature as it travels toward the discharge end of the kiln (where the maximum heat zone 1s loc-ated) this formation or coatit may be used ing becomes of greater thickness toward the discharge end of the kiln, which, if the formation is not prevented, will become choked.

The object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device of simple and economical construction for rotary kilns, which may be introduced into the kiln from time to time during its operationand may libe used to remove the fused, gum-like accretions from the lining of the kiln and. thus prevent the aforesaid choking formation. The cleaning device may be and is in the preferred con. struction. electrically operated, and is located at the discharge end of the kiln in such manner that it may be inserted through the hood and caused to penetrate the kiln to the required distance to4 reach the zone Where the accretion formation begins. As stated, Without interrupting the operation of the kiln and it is also capable, as will appear, of cleaning the kiln when the kiln is not in operation.

The many advantages of my improvement will appear as l proceed with my specification.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view representing in longiores and of'other tudinal section the discharge end of a rota kiln (which may be of any familiar type with my improved cleaning device, shown in side elevation, applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a view representing the cleaning device alone and on an enlarged scale.

iFig. 3 is a top plan view of the cleaning device. A

Fig. 4 is a View representing a transverse Patented lll/liar. 27, 191W.:

section through the device in a plane indiv cated by the line 4.--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 1s a view representing a second transverse section, in a plane indicated by the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view representing a partial longitudinal section through Fig. 3 in a plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a view representing a vertical section through Fig. 1 ina plane indicated by the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail, sectional view on an enlarged scale, illustrating the action of the cutting tool. y

lig. 9 is a perspective view of the cutting too Referring now to that embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings :-20 indicates the discharge end of a rotary kiln of any familiar construction, and 21, the rear end wall of the pit below the kiln, which wall provides a support for the rear end of the kiln; 22 indicates the discharge pit which receives the conglomerated, molten ore or other material that has been treated in the kiln; 23 indicates a non-rotative, closing hood at the 4discharge end of thev kiln, mounted on rollers 2a;` 25 is a platform which provides a top Wall for the discharge pit 22; and 26 indicates the fuel opening im the closing hoodA 23.

My improved cleaning device consists of a suitable frame or bed to be located at the discharge end of the kiln and of a reciprocable, rigid, tool-holding member or bar mounted on said frame and capable of penetrating the kiln in a line parallel to the inclinedaxis thereof and carrying one or more tools or cutters adapted in effect to mill or machine the accretions from the lining of the kiln. The tool holding member is preferably made hollow, so that it may be Water cooled, and as illustrated herein is in the form of a girder built of channels or plates, so 'as to provide the necessary rigidity to withstand the thrust of the tools, withfeonomy of weight and material.

28 indicates the rigid reciprocable member, which, as shown, is a hollow girder, rectangular in cross-section and built of two horizontally spaced, vertically arranged channel bars 29, 29, a top horizontally arranged channel bar 30 and a bottom horizontal plate 31, riveted together. -Said girder is mounted on a frame or bed 33 which is supported on a base or foundation 34, resting upon and secured to the platform 25. The base 34 is preferably made of reinforced concrete. The frame 4or bed 33 consists of longitudinally extending, parallel, spaced side members 35, 35, which are braced apart and held in the required upright relation by means of transverse end plates 37,

. 37 and an intermediate plate 38.

s 31a is provided with a rack plate 47, having The reciprocable bar 28 is mounted in the space between the side frame members 35, 35 as follows At'fthe front end of the frame or bed 33 there is a rotative shaft 40 which-is provided with suitablebearing atv its ends in the side frame members 35. A`

Near the rear end of the bed or frame 33',

a second horizontal shaft 43 is suitably mounted in the side frame members 35. Said shaft has fixed to it a bearing'roller 44, also having bearing rims 45, 45 which are engaged-bythe bearing `plates 31, 31 on the girder. The last named bearing roller. 44, in the space between the bearing rims 4 5, is provided with a rack wheel 46 and the girder, between the two bearing plates 31a,

teeth which ae engaged by the aforesaid rack wheel 46. Manifestly, a rotative movement of the roller 44 in one direction or the other will impart a longitudinal reciprocatory movement to the girder.

In -order to retain the irder in position vwith the rack plate 47 on lts bottom surface in proper engagement with the rack wheel 46, a top roller 48. is placed above the roller 44, the same being fixed on an idle shaft 49, having suitable bearings in the side frame members 35. \This roller engages and bears upon the top of the girder. Stops 50, 50 are fixed to the topl of the girder at. points longitudinally spaced from each other at a distance equal to the intended full limit of travel of the girder, and these stops are adapted fop4 y engagement with the roller 48.

'To resist the thrust of the tool or tools (presently to'be described) `at the forward end of the girder or tool-holder and to main-v tain the girder in alinement, l provide antifriction guide-devices for it near the forward and rear ends of the frame. Flanged girder 28 rollers 51, 51 are mounted at the sides of the girder just forward of the shafts 45, 49 with their fianges engaging the top of the girder and theirbodies engaged with the top flanges of its two upright channel bars 29, and rollers 52, 52 are mounted at the sides of the girder near the forward end of the bed and just to the rear of the forward supporting roller 41, with their fianges engaging the top `faces of the bottom anges of'said channel bars and their bodies in engagement with the edges thereof. The rollers 51 arey mounted on studs 51, fixed to the top ,of the side frame members of the bed. The rollers 52 are mounted on pins 52a which are fixed in the ends of a cross bar 53 secured in any convenient manner to the side members of the frame.

l The following gearing and power mechanlsm is provided to drive the girder or tool holden On the shaft 43, at one side of the 58 which meshes witha second small gear 59 fixed on a cross shaft 60. On this shaft is mounted a pulley 61. Said pulley is connected by a belt 62 to a motor or engine, in

this case preferably an electric motor 63,.'

which 'rests` upon the platform 25 in a position to the rear of the base 34. This motor is reversible and is provided with a suitable control so that it may be Operated to drive the girder either forward or backward, as desiredor required in the cleaning operation.

There is provided at the rear of the base 34, asupplemental support for the girder 64, comprising a suitable frame resting upon the platform 25 and a roller 65 of the same type as the other rollers, and provided with bearing rims to engage the bearing plates 31a on the bottom glrder to support it when it is fully withdrawn from' the kiln. The girder penetrates the kiln'through an opening 'in the hood 23 which opening may be closed by means of a counter-weighted sliding door 71 when the girder its withdrawn.

At the forward end of the girder are carried the tool or tools which are intended to engage the fused or conglomerated material on the innersurface of the kiln and remove the same from said surface. s shown, there are six of thesetools, 72, which are constructed and mounted'as follows: Each tool consists of a bar 73, extending at right fangles to the tool holder 28, and having a kiln. This cutter head acts'as a chisel or CESE as a milling tool in removing the accretions from the surface of the kiln. The cutter head 75 is pivotally connected at 76 to the bar 78 and is provided with a lip or stop 77 (see Fig. 8) which is adapted to engage a shoulder 78 at the end of the bar which limits the movement ofthe cutter head on the bar in the direction of the rotation of the kiln, so as to lmake it act as one with` v7 9 made rigidwith the bar 7 3, is placed intermediate the cutter head and the counterweight and preferably nearer the cutter head. By means of this bearing sleeve, the tool as a whole is rotatively mounted on' a rod or shaft 8O which is supported on suitable bracket arms 81, 81 fixed to the top of the girder or tool holder near the forward end thereof.

The tool holder or girder 28 being hol,- low, is capable of being water cooled and to this end a pipe 83 is led forward through its center, being fixed in position by means of suitable blocks or bracket arms 84 near the forward and rear ends of the girder.` This' pipe. projects through the rear open end of the girder and is there-connected to a flexible tube or hose 85 which leads from any suitable sourceof water supply. Thev pipe is provided with discharge openings 83a near and at its forward end, so that the cold water is discharged at the forward end of the hollow interior of the girder. 'llhe girder, which is arranged parallel to the inclined axis of the kiln, is therefore-.inclined toward its rear end,so thatthe water discharged into the girder will naturally flow toward its discharge end. The water flows out of the girder at its rear end lover a discharge lip 28a whence it is received in' a trough or other suitable device 86 by which it is conveyed to a sewer or other place of disposal. This trough extends the full length of the travel of the girder and islsupported in any convenientl fashion (not shown) on the platform 25.

The operation of the cleaning -device is apparent from the foregoing description. An operator, located at the discharge end of the kiln, has the inner surface thereof under constant observation through the door opening 70. As the fused material begins to collect and accumulate on the lining of the kiln during its operation, he starts the motor so as to drive the girder longitudinally through the door opening into the kiln. This brings the tool heads into engagement with the accretions on the lining of the kiln as indicated in Fig. 7, and the rotative movement of the kiln in engagement harder lump or projection of the accumulated material than it is able to take care of at once, the manner of mounting the tool together with its counter-Weight, permits the tool to yield as indicated in Fig. 8., This prevents breaking of the tool, and in caseV the mass is not remo-ved the irst time in the first reciprocation of the girder through the kiln, it will be acted upon and removed upon the .second -movement.

The girder is caused to move `back and forth by means of the motor, during the rotation of the kiln, so that it acts in eect, as before stated, to machine or milll the acmember 90 which will act as a plow or longitudinally operating chisel to remove the accumulations as the girderis reciprocated back and forth through the kiln. This kind of tool is more adapted for use when the kiln is not in operation, when it may be caused to reciprocate with the kiln in one position, to remove the accumulations in one line, after which the kiln may be shifted on its axis to bring a. new surface into position whereupon the tool may be caused to reciprocate and remove the accretions in the next ad} acent line and so on.

While 1n describing my lnvention, I have v referred to many details of mechanical construction and arrangement, which are manifestly capable of modification, it is to be understood that the invention is in no way limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

l claim as my invention: A 1. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame, a tool-holding member reciprocable on said frame in a line parallel to the axis of the kiln to lbe cleaned and of a length to penetrate the kiln to a point remote vfrom said frame, means for holding said tool-holding member rigidly to said frame throughout its reciprocatory movement and one or more tools carried at the forward end of said tool-holding member.

2. A cleaning device for kilns and @the like comprising, a frame, a tool-holding member reciprocable on said frame in a'line parallel to thel axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length to-penetrate the kiln to a pointremote from said'frame, devices connecting said tool-holding memberwith said frame and adapted to resist the thrust against said tool-holding member and to hold it rigidly to said fra-me throughout its reciprocatory movement, and one or more tools carried at the forward end of said toolholding member.

length topenetrate the kiln to a point remote 3. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame, a ,tool-holding member reciprocable onsaid frame in a line parallel to the axis of the kiln tobe cleaned reciprocable on said frame in a line parallel to the axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length to penetrate the kiln to a point remote from said frame, gearing intermediate said frame and said tool holding member for driving said tool-holding member., andvone or more tools carried at the forward end of said tool-holding member and extending laterally therefrom.

5. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame, a tool-holding member reciprocable on said framein a line parallel to thev axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length to penetrate the kiln to a point remote from said frame, means for holding said tool-holding member rigidly to said frame throughout its reciprocatory movement, gearin for reciprocating said toolholding mem er, a reversible power member for driving said gearing, and one Orl-more tools carried at the forward end of said tool-holding member.

6. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame', a tool-holding member reciprocable on said Iframe in a line parallel to the axisof the kiln to be cleaned and of a from said frame, one or more tools carried at the forward end of said tool-holding member, and means for water cooling said tool holding member. i

7. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame, a tool-holding Ahollow bar reciprocable on said frame in a Iline par-e allel to the axis of the kiln to he cleaned and of a length to penetrate the kiln to a point remote from said frame, one or more` tools carried at the forward end of said bar, a. pipe extending through said bar and provided with discharge openings, and means for supplying water to said pipe;

8. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a fra-me, a tool-holding hollow bar reciprocable on said frame in a line parallel to the axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length to penetrate 'the kiln to a point remote from lsaid frame, one or more tools carried at the forward endof said tool holding bar, a pipe extending into said bar and provided with discharge openings, a flexible pipe connected to said first namedpipe, and means for receiving and conducting away the water discharged from the rear end of said hollow bar.

, 9. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame, a tool-holding member reciprocable on said framein a line'parallel to the axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length to penetrate the kiln to a point remote from saidframe, and one or more tools carried at the forward end of said toolholding member and extending transversely thereof.

' member and adapted to swing in a plane or planes extendingm transversely of said toolholding member.

'.11. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame, a tool-holding member consisting of a hollow girder reciprocable on said frame in a line parallel to the axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length to penetrate the kiln to a point remote from said frame, said girder having flanges, and antifriction, flanged rollers located at the front and rear ends of said frame and having their fianges and bodies engaged respectively with the tops and edges of the flanges of said girder to resist the thrust of the tools against said girder. 12. A cleaning device for kilns and the nally-extending side members, a tool-hold- Iing bar reciprocable between the side members of said frame in a line parallel to the axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length lto penetrate the kiln to a point remote from said frame, longitudinally spaced rollers mounted in said frame and supporting said bar, a top roller mounted in the side members ofV said frame and located above one of the first mentioned rollers, a rack fixed on the bottom of said bar,.a rack wheel rotatively mounted in said frame, and power driven mechanism for rotating said rack wheel in either direction.

13. A cleaning device for kilns and the like comprising, a frame having longitudinally extending side members, a tool-holding bar reciprocable between the side members of said frame in a line parallel to the axis of the kiln to be cleaned and of a length to penetrate the kiln to a point remote from said frame, longitudinally spaced rollers mounted in said frame and supporting said bar, a top roller mounted in the side members of said frame and located above one of the first mentioned rollers,

naeoav antifriction'devices on the side members of said frame engaged With said bar and adapted to resist the tool thrust against said bar, a rack fixed on the bottom of said bar, a rack Wheel rotatively mounted in said frame, and power driven mechanism for rotating said rack Wheel in either direction.

14. -In a cleaning device of the kind described, in combination with a tool-holding member, a tool pivoted to swing on said tool-holding member in a plane extending transversely thereof, said tool .consisting of a bar, al counter-Weight xed to one end of said bar, and a tool-head carried at the other end of said bar.`

15. In` a cleaning device of the kind described, in combination with a tool-holding member, a tool pivoted to swing on said tool-holding member in a plane extending transversely thereof, said tool consisting of a bar, a counter-Weight xed to one end of said bar, and a tool-head pivotally carried at the other end of said bar, said tool-head and bar having abutting shoulders adapted to resist the movement: of said` tool-head relative to said bar in one direction.`

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 2nd day of October, A. D. 1916.

GEORGE FRANCIS DOWNS. Witnesses:

JUL1A-WUNSGH, WALTER J. BRYAN. 

